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SEVENTEEN debuted in May 2015 under Pledis Entertainment with 13 members split across three units, hip-hop, vocal, and performance. The group earned the nickname self-producing idols because members write, compose, and choreograph their own music, with Woozi leading production and Hoshi leading choreography. Over a decade later, SEVENTEEN has topped global tours, set K-pop sales records, and built a catalog that ranges from sugary teen-pop to brassy stadium anthems. If you are new to the fandom called Carat, these 10 songs are the perfect entry point into the group's evolution.
1. Adore U (2015)
Adore U is where the story begins. Released on May 29, 2015 as the title track of the debut EP 17 Carat, the funky pop song captures a teenage boy stumbling through puppy love. The choreography, designed by Hoshi, structures the stage like a mini-musical: members break apart for individual scenes and rejoin for a sing-along hook. Woozi co-wrote the track with Vernon and S.Coups, immediately staking out SEVENTEEN's self-producing identity. Adore U remains a fan-favorite opener at concerts and a perfect introduction to the group's pastel charm era.
2. Mansae (2015)
If Adore U announced SEVENTEEN, Mansae confirmed they could write a hit. Released in September 2015 on the EP Boys Be, the Korean word mansae translates loosely to hurrah and the song bottles up a giddy first-crush feeling: cheering when your favorite person walks by, dreaming through math class, blurting nonsense into your phone. The chorus practically dares listeners not to grin, and the choreography includes one of the group's earliest signature point moves. For many longtime Carats, Mansae was the moment SEVENTEEN clicked.
3. Pretty U (2016)
The first full-length album, Love and Letter, arrived in April 2016 with Pretty U leading the way. Co-written by Woozi, S.Coups, and Vernon, Pretty U layers brass, claps, and an irresistible piano riff into one of SEVENTEEN's brightest singles. The music video plays out like a sitcom inside a giant dollhouse, with each member taking turns in the spotlight. It was the group's first major mainstream breakthrough and remains a karaoke staple at fan gatherings around the world.
4. Very Nice (2016)
Very Nice, released in July 2016 on the repackage album Love and Letter, is widely considered the song that turned SEVENTEEN into a household name in Korea. The track's hyper-charged hook and the now-iconic windmill choreography during the bridge made it a fixture on music shows and variety programs. Lyrically it is a sunny rush of butterflies, the kind of song you cannot listen to just once. Even years later, fans still scream the final aju nice chant at every concert.
5. Don't Wanna Cry (2017)
Don't Wanna Cry, released on May 22, 2017 as the title track of the mini-album Al1, marked SEVENTEEN's shift into a moodier, more emotional palette. Composed by Woozi and Bumzu, the song pairs a melancholic synth riff with a soaring chorus about clinging to a fading love. It was their first MV to cross 200 million views, and in February 2026 it became the group's first to hit 300 million views on YouTube, a milestone the agency Pledis Entertainment celebrated as a generational landmark. The choreography, especially the slow-motion umbrella drop, is one of K-pop's most enduring images.
6. Clap (2017)
Clap arrived in November 2017 on the second studio album Teen, Age and brought back the high-energy funk of early SEVENTEEN with a more confident swing. The instrumental is built around brass stabs and finger snaps, and the choreography is a masterclass in formation work, the group's 13 bodies snapping into shape like a single organism. The lyrics urge you to applaud yourself for surviving the hard days, a message that has aged into one of SEVENTEEN's most quoted hooks among Carats.
7. Home (2019)
Home, the title track of the sixth mini-album You Made My Dawn released on January 21, 2019, signaled the group's full maturity. Co-written by Woozi, Bumzu, and Seungkwan, it pairs a delicate piano line with a warm, anthemic chorus about wanting to be a safe place for someone you love. Home won 10 music show trophies, earning SEVENTEEN their first ever wins on Music Core and Inkigayo and completing a coveted music show grand slam. For many fans, it is the song that defines SEVENTEEN at their most tender.
8. Left and Right (2020)
Left and Right, the lead single of the seventh mini-album Heng:garae released on June 22, 2020, is the SEVENTEEN song that broke through during the pandemic. An upbeat encouragement anthem with the message to keep going even if today did not work out, it spawned the viral hashtag LeftRightChallenge on TikTok and racked up more than 20 million views on the platform. Heng:garae topped iTunes album charts in 27 countries on release day, marking the group's transition into a truly global act. The choreography's mirrored side-to-side step is still instantly recognizable.
9. HOT (2022)
HOT, the title track of the fourth full-length album Face the Sun released on May 27, 2022, is SEVENTEEN at their boldest. Built around a fiery hip-hop beat and Western guitar twang, the song frames the group as defiant cowboys staring straight into the sun. The MV's cinematic desert visuals propelled HOT past 100 million views in seven and a half months, then 200 million by September 2025, the group's third music video to do so. SEVENTEEN famously performed HOT on Jimmy Kimmel Live in August 2022, breaking through to US audiences in a way few K-pop acts had at the time.
10. God of Music (2023)
God of Music, the title track of the 11th mini-album Seventeenth Heaven released on October 23, 2023, is a love letter to the joy of music itself. Co-composed by Woozi and Bumzu, the song layers funky bass with handclaps and a chorus designed to be shouted along with thousands of light sticks. The lyrics are a tribute to the unnamed god who blesses singers and fans alike, and it has become a guaranteed encore moment on the group's tours. It is also one of the easiest entry points for casual listeners, an instantly catchy 2010s throwback in modern packaging.
Bonus Tracks for the Deep Dive
Once you have those 10 down, the next stops on your SEVENTEEN journey should be Maestro (2024), the lead single from the compilation album 17 Is Right Here, which cleverly references seven of the group's older songs in its production. LOVE, MONEY, FAME (2024), featuring DJ Khaled from the EP Spill the Feels, is the group's most international-leaning hit and topped the Circle Digital Chart in Korea. The 2022 buzzer-beater single Darl+ing, SEVENTEEN's first English-language song, is another fan-favorite gateway. And do not skip Rock with You (2022) and Super (2023), both of which have crossed 100 million views and represent the group at their performance-powerhouse peak.
Why SEVENTEEN Stands Out
What makes SEVENTEEN distinctive in a crowded K-pop landscape is the sheer scale and consistency. With 13 members across three sub-units, the group can pivot from sweet vocal ballads to hard-edged hip-hop in the same album, and the in-house production by Woozi and Bumzu gives every release a recognizable through-line. SEVENTEEN ranked No. 3 on Billboard's midyear Top Tours chart in 2025, the highest ever for a K-pop act, and their 2023 EP FML set the record for the highest first-week album sales in K-pop history. A decade in, the group is still adding to its discography rather than coasting on the hits, which is the surest sign that the best of SEVENTEEN may still be ahead.
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